Auburn football was ranked No. 11 in the SEC's preseason media poll at SEC Media Days. CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli believes that makes the Tigers an underrated program in the "It Just Means More" conference heading into the 2025 season.
Fornelli referenced two names, Jackson Arnold and Cam Coleman, and one position group, the offensive line, that make Auburn a team capable of finishing in the SEC's top third.
"Every single team I've talked about has to replace huge swaths of their offensive line. Auburn doesn't. Every starter returns, and the Tigers have a loaded wide receiver room led by Cam Coleman. They also have a former five-star QB in Jackson Arnold, who struggled at Oklahoma, but I don't put Oklahoma's offensive woes last season solely on Arnold," Fornelli wrote.
"Also, while the Tigers finished 5-7 last year, they were far more competitive in a few of their losses than the results indicate.
"I have questions about the back seven of the defense, and Arnold still has to prove it at QB, but while I don't look at the Tigers as a team capable of winning the SEC, they're capable of finishing in the top third of the league."
The WR room may be taking a major potential loss with Malcolm Simmons after an arrest on domestic violence charges. Still, with Horatio Fields and Eric Singleton Jr. now in the mix, there's plenty of depth to cover for it.
It's all on Arnold, though. After winning several games with his legs last year on the Oklahoma Sooners, Arnold needs to make use of the weapons he has while also boosting a running back room that has depth, but lacks star power after Jarquez Hunter's departure.
Luckily, an OL that stays together makes winning plays together.
The weapons are there for Auburn to finally have an entertaining and high-powered offense in 2025.
Pray the pieces fit and we finally get that after three years of having a non-must-watch television attack.